Bail ear for sheet metal vessels and method of making the same



Feb. s, 1938. E, EX'TON 2,107,428

BAIL EAR FOR SHEET METAL VESSELS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME FiledDec. 24, 1935 Patented Feb. 8, 1938 I I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEBAIL EAR FOR SHEET METAL VESSELS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Isaac E.Sexton, Winchester, -Mass.

Application December 24, 1935, Serial No. 55,971 11 Claims. (01.113-120) The object of this invention is to provide a ear proper is cutand pressed from sheet metal sheet metal vessel, such as a pail orbucket, with Q with a formation which provides a. cylindrical bail earsadapted to engage the ends of a bail, lateral wall l5, preferably ofsmaller diameter and each composed of two bosses one of which'is thanthe previously described boss, and a head imperforate and integral withthe usual body, portion it which may be plane or convex, or em- 5 whilethe other is perforated to engage a bail end, bossed in any desired way.It is also formed with said bosses including parts which are convertiblean outstanding annular flange 19, preferably dis.- by' pressure into anannular seam uniting the posed in a plane perpendicular to thecylindrical bosses. wall i5, and with an annular flange extension Of theaccompanying drawing forming a part 20 of irusto-conical form dependingand inclined 10 of this specification,- inwardly from the margin of theflange is. The

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sheet metal outer circumference ofthe flange I9 is considervessel having a bail ear made in accordancewith ably larger than the diameter of the inner boss, the invention; andthe edge of the flange extension forms the Figures 2 and 3 show inperspective the two circumference of a circle nearly equal in di- 15bosses separated from each other, and partly ameter to the inner boss,but enough larger to broken away. I permit of being easily slipped oversuch boss. Figure 4 shows in section the two bosses as- The axial lengthof the flange extension is subsembled, and before they are united toeach other. stantially equal to the height of the inner boss;

Figure 5 shows in section the completed bail wherefore when the outerboss is slipped over the 20 ear. inner boss, as shown in Fig. 4, theedge of the Figures 6 and '7 are views similar to Figures 4 extension 20occupies the angle between the metal and 5 showing a supplement to theflange extensheet i2 and the side Wall of the inner boss while' sionhereinafter described. the flange i9 bears on the margin of the head i4.

Figures 8 and 9 are views similar to Figures 4 After the inner and outerb05868 ve bee s- 25 and 5 showing a beaded reinforcing edge onthesembled as thus described, they are subjected to flange extension.pressure applied axially against the flange as Figures 10 and 11 areviews similar to Figures against a supporting or opposed pressureapplied 4 and 5, showing a modification. to the opposite side of themetal sheet over an Figure 12 is a fragmental perspective view areawhich may he continuous, and at least is showing a bail designed toswing. suitably located to sustain the portion of the Figures 13 and 14show a difierently constructsheet adjacently surrounding the inner boss.The ed bail ear. pressing means may consist of a die recessed at Thesize of the bail ear and the thickness of its end to bear directly onthe flange i9 and to the sheet metal of which it is composed areconadmit the head part oi the outer boss without 5 siderably exaggeratedin Figures 2 to ll. pressing upon it, and an opposing die or, equiva-The same reference characters indicate the lently, a table having acontinuous, flat support-p same parts in all of the figures. a ingsurface, as indicated by broken lines at 23 In the drawing 52 designatesthe body of a and 2d, respectively. The pressure thus exerted g sheetmetal vessel. which is provided with ball causes the edges or theconical flange extension so ears as next described, each ear includingtwo 2E5 to be displaced inwardly toward the axis and bosses. thus toindent the cylindrical wall 83 of the One of said bosses, called theinner boss, is im inner boss, forming a channel therein; while theperforate and integral with the body 92, and procontinuation of pressingaction causes the injects outwardly therefrom. Said boss has an ner'hossto be collapsed, with folding inward of as originally cylindrical wall93 and a circular head its sides, and its margin to he clamped down id.It is formed by oii'setting the sheet metal upon the inturned edge ofthe flangeextension. used for making receptacles of the kind referredThus the bosses are interlocked and united by to, by known methods ofmetal working, while an annular sea-in designated as/a whole by 25 thesheet is flat, in a manner such as to make the in Fig. 5. 5o encirclingwall substantially perpendicular to This method oi uniting the membersutilizes the metal sheet and the head of the boss suhthe flexibility oithe metal in an efiective man.- stantially parallel to the sheet, atleast as to its her. It provides a smooth action which is not marginalportion. harsh on the metal, i. ve., does not risk over- The other orouter boss, which constitutes the straining or rupturing the metal. Eachinem- 55 her, while being pressed into position, is able to adjust itsdimensions while being changed in shape by and conformably to the other.Each member is adequately flexible in the directions I in which it isreformed by the pressing action. The inward bending of the sides of theinner boss tends to draw down the head of the boss and starts thefolding action, which is then car ried further by the direct endwisepressurepf the dies with no stretching effect, but rather with a bendingand possibly a compressive effect. The complemental members adjust andfit themselves together, and are maintained in closecontact with oneanother throughout the entire operation, without injury to either.

It will now be seen that the completed bail ear is composed of an outerand an inner boss, the inner boss including a channeled rim 13 integralwith the body I2, and a circular head i4 integral with, and overhangingthe channeled wall, while the outer boss includes a circular head IS, anannular wall 15 provided with an outwardly projecting flange i9 and anoriginally frusto-conical extension 20 of said flange projecting intothe channel of-the wall 13, said extension. and the channeled rimforming an annular seam uniting the two bosses.

As before stated, the diameter of the head l6 and the rim I5 ispreferably less than that of the head l4 and wall l3 of the inner boss.If desired, however, the diameter of the head I6 and wall l5 may begreater than that of the head I! and wall l3, as shown by Figures 10 and11, the flange exwith a supplementalextension I22 which projectsoutward, and in the completed ear bears on and reinforces the body l2,as shown by Figure '7 Figures 8 and 9 show the flange extension providedwith a rolled or beaded margin I23 which ball.

is incorporated in the seam 25, and reinforces it, as shown by Figure 9.

The head It ofthe outer boss is spaced from the head of the inner bosssufficiently to per-. mit the formation of two diametrically oppositebail-receiving orifices 21, (Figure 5),-in the rim I5 of the outer boss.Said orifices are adapted to receive the straight parallel end portions28 of a bail and permit the sliding of said end portions, so thatthe'bail may be raised as shown by full lines in Figure 1, or depressedas shown by dotted lines. The end portions 28 are provided withenlargements 30 adapted to limit the raising of the The ball may includea straight handle portion 29 which restson the cover of the vessel whenthe ball is depressed. The ball may therefore be stored on the peripheryand cover of the vessel when not in use so that it will have only alimited projection therefrom.

It is obvious that the heads l6 of the outer bosses may be provided withorifices arranged to receive hooked bail ends in a well known manner.

Figure 12 shows such an arrangement; the end' an annular seam unitingthe two bosses.

and flattened by pressure in a manner similar to 5 that previouslydescribed, an annular double seam 25 uniting the two bosses, and anindependently formed circular head 3{ Joined by an annularouter seam 35to the hollow section 32.

When pressure is exerted on the assembled 1t parts the frusto-conicalflange 33 is deformed and forced into the wall of the inner boss,thereby channeling said wall and forming the annular double seam 25 Thehollow section 32 spaces the heads of the l.

bosses anydesired distance apart, and farther apart than would bepossible when the outer boss is constructed in one piece as firstdescribed.

It will be seen that no leakage from the completed vessel through thebail can occur, and that 21 no-packing means is required.

The formation of the bosses and mode of procedure herein described lendsitself to the very rapid completion of bail ears, since the assemblageof the constituent parts and the formation J of the seam which unitesthem may be effected by the single pressure movement of a die or plungerexerted toward a table on which the sheets of material provided with theintegral bosses are supported. I have found it feasible to 3 complete inthis way as many as 300 assembled and interlocked bail ears per minutein regular commercial production. After the bail ears have thus beenmade and assembled with the flat sheet metal, or blanks cut to suitabledimensions for a '3 .pail, bucket, or can, the sheets orv blanks are'curved or bent to the prescribed form of, and made into, finished pailsor the like, of any desired character in any suitable way.

The principles'of the invention are not limited 4 to the formation ofbail ears on the sides of pails and the like but include similarconstructions in all other useful relationships, such as, for example,on pieces designed for the covers or end walls of sheet metal cans, etc.4

' than the head portion ofthe inner boss, an annular wallseated on themargin of the head of 4 the inner boss and provided with an annularoutwardly projecting flange seatedon and projecting outwardly from thehead of the inner boss, and an annular extension of said flangeprojecting into the channel of the inner boss, said extension 1 and thechanneled wall of the inner boss forming 2. A sheet metal vessel asspecified by claim 1. said flange extension .having an annular out-'wardly projecting reinforcing lip located on and l reinforcing theouter surface of the vessel body. 3. A sheet metal vessel as specifiedby claim 1, said flange extension having 9. rolled annular. bead on itsouter margin forming a reinforcement. of said seam. l

. 4. A sheet metal vessel having bail ears each composed of an innerboss and an outer boss, the inner boss including an annularchanneledwall projecting outwardly from and integral with the materialof the vessel, and a circular head inl gin into the wall of the innerboss thereby chantegral with and overhanging the channeled wall, theouter boss including a circular head provided with an annular outwardlyprojecting flange and an annular extension of said flange projectinginto the channel of ,the inner boss, said extension and the channeledwall of the inner boss forming an annular double seam uniting the twobosses, the wall of the outer boss being provided with diametricallyopposite orifices, the vessel having a bail including straight endportions slidable in said orifices and provided with stops limitinganupward sliding movement of the bail.

5. A sheet metal vessel having bail ears each composed of an inner andan outer boss, the inner boss being integral with the vessel, andincluding an annular channeled wall projecting outwardly from the sideof the vessel, and a circular head integral with and overhanging saidchanneled wall, the outer boss being composed of an inner hollow sectionhaving an integral inwardly projecting marginal zone at its inner end.forining with the channeled wall of the inner boss, an annular doubleseam uniting the two bosses, and a separately formed circular headjoined by an outer seam to the outer end of the inner section of theouter boss.

6. That improvement in the method of providing a part of a sheet metalvessel with a bail ear, which consists in forming on the sheet metal ofsuch part an outwardly -projecting inner boss including an annular wallintegral with and projecting outwardly from the sheet metal part, and ahead integral with said wall, providing an outer boss including a head,an annular wall integral with the head, an annularflange projectingoutwardly from said wall and an annular flange extension projectinginwardly from the flange, and of substantially frusto-conical form andinclined inwardly so that its margin is formed to surround the innerboss, placing the marginof the flange extension over the inner boss andagainst the adjacent surface of the sheet metal .part, and exertingpressure onthe assembled parts to force the margin of the flangeextension inwardly, and thereby cause it to form an annular channel inthe wall of the inner boss.

7. That improvement in the method of providing a sheet metal part with abail ear, which consists in forming on the sheet metal part an outwardlyprojecting integral inner boss including an annular cylindrical wall anda circular head integral with said wall, providing a sectional outerboss including an independently formed hollowsectlon having an inwardlyprojecting frusto-conical marginal zone at its inner end, and anindependently formed circular head unitedfby an annular outer seam tosaid hollow section, placing form-said frusto-conical flange and forceits marthe margin-0f said frustoconica1 zone against the sheet metalpart around the inner boss, and exerting pressure on the assembled partsto deneli-ng said wall .and forming an annular double seam uniting saidbosses.

8. The method of securing to a piece of sheet metal an element of sheetmetal which comprises forming an upstanding boss on said piece of sheetmetal so that the side wall of said boss is substantially perpendicularto the portions of the piece immediately surrounding said boss, formingon said element a flange extending radially outward and an extension onsaid flange having a length approximately equal to theheight of the bossand inclined inwardly to fit its terminal edge against the side wall ofsaid boss, placing said element on said boss, and pressing on saidflange to cause said terminal edge to indent a channel in the side wallof the boss and to flatten the boss so as to pinch the marginal portionof said extension in said indented channel.

9. The method of securing a sheet metal attachment to a piece of sheetmetal which comprises forming an, upstanding boss on said piece withintegral side and head walls, of which the side Walls are substantiallyperpendicular to the surface of the piece immediately surrounding saidboss, forming said attachment with a substantiallyplane flange of whichthe inner diameter is less and the outer diameter greater than thediameter of said boss, and with an extension on said flange of a lengthsubstantially equal to the height of the boss and inclined inwardly tomake the area surrounded by its terminal edge substantially equal to thearea of the boss, and then pressing said flange and boss simultaneouslytoward the plane of the piece with force sufllcient to deflect the edgepart of the flange extension inwardly and to fold the margin of the bossover the edge of the extension.

10. A sheet metal article having an integral, outwardly projecting bossformed with a channeled annular wall and a head joined to said wall,combined with a sheet metal outer boss having a peripheral flangebearing on the marginal portion of said head, and an inwardly turnedextension projecting from the outer rim of said flange nd iputer rimogsaid flange, the flange overlapping "the marginal portion of the headof the firstnamed boss and said annular extension being turned inwardlyand confined within said channel.

ISAAC E. SEXTONZ

